After Con Special

Update 09-03-14: I am frantically trying to update/backdate new comics so there are 4 a week for every week since I got back from Toronto.

Inevitably, I always miss something important when I’m out of town. I missed my daughter’s first day of kindergarten while I was away at a convention. I left a day early so I wouldn’t miss it, but Delta flat out lied to an entire plane full of people who had connecting flights and told us even though our first plane arrive 45 minutes late we would all still make our connections. Spoilers: Zero people made their connections, and because so many people were affected by the lie, they decided to help NONE of us.

So Delta lost a customer for life, and I lost a once in a lifetime opportunity to be there for my kid when she needed me. Of course, first days of school are one thing. New Doctors are another thing all together. I’m not sure how I feel about Capaldi yet. I don’t know if I not warming up to HIM, or to he AND CLARA, or just to Clara in general. I feel like her story was complete when The Doctor found out what “the impossible girl” really was. It felt like a complete arch, and now it feels like she just forgot to leave or die or get trapped in an alternate reality or whatever it is most companions do at the end of their adventures.

There are separate rumors that Clara, Capaldi and/or Moffat will be leaving after this series. I‘d be more likely to believe Clara and Moffat were splitsville, and Capaldi will be around for the requisite 3-4 years. It took me awhile to warm up to Matt Smith, so I am reserving judgement on Capaldi for now. I started with Tennant, so I’m not used to an old, cranky Doctor. I see the door open on that blue box and I expect a young, spry, good looking dude to pop out and start causing/solving problems. Maybe the Universe as a whole is just in an older, crankier state, so it needs an older, crankier Doctor. Honestly, at this point my feelings wouldn’t be hurt if Smith was the last Doctor and The Adventures of Jenny, Vastra and Strax started in Doctor Who‘s place. Of course Captain Jack would be in at least half the episodes. Can you imagine him trying in vain to woo the good and lizardly Madame? Fun times, I’m telling you.

I'm a gumpy old Whovian (been watching since 1974) and I believe in Capaldi. Give him time and he will convince you.

If you're finding it hard you might want to go back to some of the classic Doctors. Gracie might like that too. I was really surprised how much my kids (now 9 and 11) took to the classic show even with it's wobbly sets and terrible special effects.

If you've never seen it then I recommend City of Death with Tom Baker as the fourth Doctor and Lalla Ward as Romana II. It was written by Douglas Adams (yes the one who wrote Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy) and it has some of the best dialogue from the Classic Series. Or how about Daemons from the third Doctor. It has one of the Brigadier's best moments in it and is kind of like Doctor Who does the Wicker Man (the good version not the terrible Nick Cage one).

I've been displeased with this season. It took me a while, but I realized it wasn't Capaldi or Clara that I didn't like. It was the writing. Everything seems off from the plot beats, to the characterizations (Clara verbally and physically assaulting the Doctor?), to this overarching story arch with creepy Mary Poppins. Even this week's episode, which was obviously trying to be a new Blink, was so heavy handed and choppy that all the emotional impact was lost. Normally with a new Doctor I settle in after a few episodes. This one is taking much longer.

Sometimes I feel like I'm the only person who has 9 as their favorite… but whatever.

I'd like Moffat and Gaiman to fight Highlander style for head of the show. Moffat goes in unarmed. Gaiman gets his choice of weapon, and an army selected of the best warriors in history because I want him to win.

I also agree on Jenny, Vastra, and Potato. I need Sherlock Lizard-bian and her ninja girlfriend Watson.

I don't know that I would say Christopher Eccleston was my favorite Doctor, because Tom Baker was my first, and you always love your first best. However, I would say that Eccleston has been my favorite Doctor since the reboot. I was very disappointed that he chose to quit after such a short time.

The last two episodes have been immensely silly. At least the Robin Hood one was unabashedly so, and it's always nice to see Ben Miller doing his snarky turn, but this last one was pretentiously silly (puffer fish have perfect defence, do they? Tell that to the tiger sharks that eat them), and I'm starting to get tired of how much special little snowflakes the companions are getting to be.

Added later… oh yeah, and the immense emotional plothole in this last episode (apart from the logical one, that if the hiders exist then they apparently don't need to eat or breathe) – creatures that hide are NOT SCARY! Even nasty ones like stonefish don't come after you, but wait for you to stumble over them.

Oh yeah, and I'm old enough that old and grumpy is the way the Doctor is supposed to be for me 🙂

I feel like the episodes are getting better, especially the last one. It takes time for both the actor and the writers to get a real feel for a new Doctor. Characters grow over time, especially as the actors who inhabit them become more familiar with them. It's part of a long growing process. I think Capaldi will endear you sooner rather than later.

I'm not sure why Clara has become a bigger focus on this show than the Doctor himself, but she seems like a more complex character now than she did paired with Smith. She's become more likable as well. I want more of the old, cranky Doctor. It's a great change of pace from the 7 series of young Doctors that came before.

As far as rumors go, the Moffat leaving rumors seemed to have died down in lieu of the Clara leaving rumors. I think Moffat might have one more season in him, although I feel that's still one too many. If Moffat leaves, I won't miss him. Great writer, but mediocre show runner (at least for DW. He's done well with Sherlock). Maybe I'm being nostalgic, but I enjoyed Davis's run as show runner more than Moffat. I think they need someone completely new.

All that being said, am I the only one who hates the Paternoster Gang? Can someone explain to me why they love this group of wasted air time so much? What am I missing?

I never really warmed up to Clara either, I don't know why. I stopped watching the show soon after Amy and Rory left, I just couldn't get the motivation to keep caring. I think that I'm going to check some of the Capaldi episodes out, but I probably won't be interested again until there's a new companion. Preferably a new companion who isn't a 20 something white girl with a magical mystery past. If he got an alien companion I would start watching again immediately.

As for Doctors, I still miss Nine! He wasn't even my first Doctor, my friend introduced me through the second season because the first season is "boring", but I love Nine.

Yeah, I'm still not sure on this doc. I kind of like him, but he's very unsure of himself and when he is sure of himself he… just doesn't quite hit it for me.

I know, I know, give him time.

I realize he is going to be darker and grumpier. The way they had framed him initially I expected him to jump in and start trying to right wrongs he had skipped over before. He seems to be more muddling through the episodes.

We'll see.

And as for Clara, yeah, I expect her to get squashed or something very soon.

I still desperately miss 9. His run was too short, and he remains my favorite Doctor, and the one I find most interesting.

I bailed on the show when Moffat took over, though, because I dislike almost everything he does (The Empty Child/The Doctor Dances being my only exception). Hopefully he flounces off soon so I can give Capaldi the shot I never gave Matt Smith.

Thats the truth i watched it on pbs ahd missed one episode and suddenly the scarfed wearing jelly baby loving doctor had been replaced buy a young blond guy in a weirds sports uniform (never seen a cricket uniform at tge time)

Don't feel too bad, I started my Who viewing with the fifth Doctor with a few eps of number four here and there on reruns from PBS.

Ever since then at EVERY regeneration I stop watching the show in a pissy rage-quit until my addiction to know what happens next to my favorite Gallifreyan draws me back in. Hell I didn't catch up to Matt Smith's run as the Doctor until "Amy's Choice", and referred to him to anybody who'd listen as "Frankenstein".

Am I the only one here that loves Capaldi, Clara, Moffat, AND the latest episode? I grew up watching doctors 1-4. I like this William Hartnell/Tom Baker combo Capaldi has going on. I like that Clara has a life of her own, and that she is not completely infatuated with the Doctor (A bit like Donna but less abrasive). I have also love Moffat's episodes and story arcs. And lastly, I loved the uncertainty of this last episode. Were the "perfect hiders" real or imagined? I lean toward real, but many go with Clara's assertion. And I think my favorite part was when he referenced the fact that he was a dad, he had children.

I started my Who geek journey with #9, and never bothered to look up any of the old stuff to avoid spoilers, so I learned about regeneration firsthand. The Christmas Invasion helped ease the burns and I really liked 10. The Doctor was still the Doctor, so I was cool.
My sister on the other hand, who became a Whofan after me (by me), had a near psychotic breakdown at the end of The End of Time and proceeded to ritualistically destroy her brainy specs and my sonic screwdriver.
Had to replace that AND get 11's.

The first two episodes of the series were train-wrecks. Plots were hopeless. Now, Dr Who plots are frequently hopeless but at leas the Doctor is engaging enough to paper over the cracks. Capaldi wasn't quite there so the awfulness of the episodes was somewhat laid bare.

The next two episodes much better. More fun, more time travel, more personality from Capaldi.

Totally agree that Clara is now anachronistic and should depart. How about some companion-less episodes for a while?

Old…so old…Been a Whovian since ’81 or so, in the US this meant Tom Baker was my first, but WTTW 11 in Chicago eventually ran as many as they could get through distribution. I was at the 20th anniversary convention in Chicago, 1983 and had the absolute pleasure of meeting Troughton, Pertwee, Baker, and Davison(fan contest/VIP experience) I remember the controversy it was when Adric died(companions dying is less a “thing” now) My daughters (10 and 9 now) were introduced last season when i binge watched all the new ones through the BIG RED entertainment genie. They have become fans. And I agree, your first is almost always your favorite, and your first regen is always traumatic.